At the chalkface
News
Cover in glory
“PING!” GOES the computer. In “They will put on a display.”
Holocaust play touches survivor
comes the cover lesson! My only I’m sure they will…
free lesson for yonks! Am I not Migraine still blooming, I
knackered enough with endless trudge, cursing, up to the studio.
moderations, twilight revisions, It’s a hive of focus. The pupils
booster classes, screaming are enthusiastic, energetic and
deadlines, dysfunctional printers, engaged. They hardly notice me.
assessment objectives, and Shaka, a maniac in my English
tawdry excuses? With tardy lessons, tells me the history of the
coursework that can get devoured Capoeira – about Brazil, slavery
by dogs, left on the Tube, or and the Portuguese empire. He
squashed through my turns on the tape and
letterbox at midnight? fabulous rhythms occur.
And with yards of The class goes into a
markings? Sorting out circle and clap. Two
the fine line, that life- girls go into a sort of Speaking from experience:
defining line between wheeling break dance. It Professor Leslie Brent,
C and D grades? My requires timing, discipline, pictured with members
subject has been reduced balance and grace. One of the Bradfield College
to the merely robotic. wrong move and you’re Kindertransport cast, who
And now a cover! clobbered. They’re brilliant. fielded questions about his
Don’t they know these They dance across the spring remarkable escape from
are fraught times? What sunlight. A couple of boys do Nazi Germany
Sir Alex Ferguson calls, the same. I just watch and
less delicately, “squeaky listen and learn and even
bum time”. Those league clap. Fabulous. It’s all that After watching the pupils’ per- Drama teacher Julia Crossley Brent told the audience how watch-
tables are everything. My my subject isn’t. They prefer
by Chris Parr
formance, he joined the cast on said the play had a huge impact on ing the play had been an unexpect-
migraine blooms. Another kick-boxing to tick-boxing! Me stage to field questions about his everyone involved in its produc- edly emotional experience for him.
cover! Please! Not for Mr too. It’s all that a good lesson In 1938, 10,000 Jewish children experiences, and give the assem- tion. Seeing Bradfield College pupil
Donut’s maths mob! Or art! should be. The pips go. So does were rescued from central Europe bled students a history lesson that She explained: “Performing this Bella Noakes, 14, play the young
Dillywig put frogs in the powder my migraine. I thank them. I must as part of the Kindertransport, just they will never forget. play not only enriched the study Eva, had reminded him of his sister
paints last time. “Surrealism!” thank Ms Cherise. I return through months prior to the outbreak of the Speaking to SecEd after the event, of the history and literature of the – also called Eva.
he quipped. Or drama. That’s the the 6th form gardens. Bluebells Second World War. Prof Brent, 83, said he had been Second World War for many of Prof Brent’s sister had been too
worst. All those “be a leaf in a and blossoms dance. I nearly give They were fostered by English touched by the performance, and was our pupils – and even some of young to be evacuated with him
thunderstorm” lessons. Bedlam! it a go myself. families, and because their par- impressed by how involved the cast our teachers – it also revealed pre- – an age difference that proved
But no, it’s “Dance”. Still, sounds “Easy, sir!” Indeed. Then ents perished in the concentration members were in the history. viously unknown links between fatal.
grim. All that Billy Elliot stuff! it’s back. Back to my crippled camps, many never returned home. He said: “The auditorium was the Bradfield College community Ms Crossley added: “Our expe-
Attila Dervish leaping about in all subject. Where were we? Ah Last month, pupils at Bradfield packed with parents and students, and what would otherwise have rience shows that bringing history
directions! Still, there is a lesson yes. “AQA A2 Assessment Unit College in Berkshire were visited and they asked me a range of ques- remained a distant historical event out of the classroom and onto the
plan from Ms Cherise. The class Weightings.” It doesn’t exactly by one of the evacuees as they tions about what it felt like to leave with little apparent relevance to the stage can breathe unexpected life
are working on the “Capoeria”. make the spirits dance. Or me. staged a performance of the play Germany as a 13-year-old. school today. into distant and remote events,
What’s that? “A Brazilian “Ping!” goes the computer. Kindertransport, which tells the “It is terribly important to con- “During rehearsals, a number revealing their relevance to pupils
dance. A mix of free form and Please! Give me another cover! story of the rescue operation. tinue teaching about the Holocaust, of people came forward revealing and the world they live in today.
Martial Arts”. Hmm... the scope Give me the Capoeira. Professor Leslie Brent, now pro- particularly in schools, as it is the their links with the Kindertransport “What we are now discovering
for mayhem seems almost infinite. fessor emeritus at the University of single most brutal event in history, and, as a result, we were able to is that history and the questions it
And the class is a 10th year! • Ian Whitwham is a former London, was on the first train to and was based on the kind of intol- invite Professor Brent to the per- raises are also accessible to those
Where’s my “Rescue Remedy”? secondary school teacher. arrive in England, on December erance and racial hatred that unfor- formance.” who have not chosen to study it at
2, 1938. tunately still exists today.” After the play finished, Prof GCSE or A level.”
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20 SecEd • May 7 2009
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